Big (so it covers as much of you as possible) with long waist ties (so you can tie them round and fasten in front so you can tuck in a tea/dish towel and have it to hand when you need to dry your hands or get something hot out of the oven), big pockets and (I'm almost ashamed to say this) I like it to be of a colour to co-ordinate with my kitchen. Oh, and not made of PVC -too stiff and anything spilt on it runs down onto your feet.

I have a couple older, full body style, flea market finds that I've made patterns of and now sew them myself. I always use 100% cotton and have started adding a double thickness of fabric about knee level so I can use it as a hotpad to grab pans or tins out of the oven or a handle on the stove with. I have a couple thin cotton, "dress" aprons that I put on when I'm done with the main cooking and still want an apron.

i wish i bothered with aprons at times. i have a few that sit in the cupboard over the stove that collect dust, as cool as they are. i normally just try to avoid splashes and close contact. deftly,as i'd like to think falsely of myself.

a white lab smock might be a better choice if i had my choice. i have a few white and grey ones that with an erruptive pot of tomato sauce would make me look like a mad scientist.

but the clothes that get stained from cooking become garden, yard, or otherwise "work" clothes.

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May your kilt be short enough to do a jig, but long enough to cover your Lucky Charms.

I was able to get a couple basic bib aprons for around $5 when we had the Stevens Fabric Outlet in town. Also got tons of hand towels for the kitchen for a buck or two each. The aprons pretty much hang on an antique drying rack I have in the kitchen because I usually reach for one of Himself's old oxford dress shirts. Not only can I button as much as I need to make sure I'm protected (like neck-to-hem for spaghetti!) but I have the sleeves folded so that they end just below my elbow bend, maybe even a bit closer to my wrist. That way my arms are protected from most splatters too.